Live Up To Your Hat

A year or so ago I came up with a new motto. It was "you must live up to your hat. Whether figuratively or literally, you should live up to the hat you are wearing, make your hat proud to be sitting on your head!” At first this probably seems really strange, maybe even a little Mad Hatterish, but let me explain.

This motto came about while I was watching a talent show. This guy comes on stage in an amazing hat and I got all excited, thinking his act is going to be great. It was horrible. I can’t remember what he did now, but he did not live up to his hat. Then, the next guy to come on stage had a humble beat up top hat. His act was amazing. The first guy did not live up to his hat, but the second definitely made that hat proud to be on his head. I know, it still probably sounds a bit odd. But bear with me as I clarify.

Let’s begin with figuratively. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, titled “Many Hats” if you haven’t read it yet, everyone has many different hats they wear. Many different rolls they play and jobs they do. But what does this have to do with living up to your hat? Every job you do or roll you play is important. It is part of what makes you you. So why not do it as well as you possibly can? If you do your job as well as you are able to then you can know that you made that hat proud.

Now what about literally? If you are literally wearing a hat then there is automatically an expectation that needs to be met. For example, if you are wearing a hat supporting a specific sports team, then shouldn’t you actually be a fan of that team? Or, if you are wearing an extravagant top hat, shouldn’t you try to live up to that expectation? Carry yourself like you deserve to have that hat on your head? I am not going to wear a pirate hat and then not act like a pirate am I? That wouldn’t make any sense. So why did I put on the hat? From a baseball hat to a top hat you should live up to the expectation that comes with putting that hat on your head.

Hats deserve a certain level of respect. They can define what job you have, turn you into any character you want to be, even turn into a form of entertainment. Be proud of the hat’s you wear, and make your hats proud to be on your head. I know, it all still sounds a bit Mad Hatterish, but hey, who knows hats better than a Mad Hatter?